Automatic water cut-off.



S. O. THOMPSON. AUTOMATIC WATER GUT-OFF.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, I912. 1,075,675. Patented 001.14, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inventor Attorneys S. O. THOMPSON.

AUTOMATIC WATER OUT-OFF.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 4, 1912.

1,075,675. Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor r "21 Attorneys COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH C(I.,\\'ASHINGTON, D c.

UMTED @TATES? PATENT @FldltCE...

SAMUEL O. THOMPSON, OF MAXTO'N, IIORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF FORTE. ONE-HTTITDREDTHS TO RUFUS IVL WiLLIAMEi, 6F IFIAXTQN, NORTH CAROLINA.

S ecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Get. 1%,1913.

Application filed Noveinhcr 4:, 1912. Serial No. 728 541,

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL O. THOMP- son, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Maxton, in the county of Robeson and tate of NorthCarolina, have invented a new and useful Automatic ater Cut-Off, ofwhichthe following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improve ments in an automatic water outofi, the primary object of the present invention being the provision ofa novel form of valve and actuating mechanism whereby the flow of waterfrom the main to a distributing conduit, as for instance, up-ply pipe toa residence or building automatically actuated due to the fall oftemperature that may tend to freeze the water within the distributingconduit and consequently burst the pipe, such controlling mechanismbeing actuated by a thermostatically controlled means entirely automaticin opera-- tion.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a valveconnection adapted to be disposed between the main and the distributingconduit and carrying a vertically slidable stem with a plurality ofvalves, one of which valves is adaptedto be closed to prevent theoverflow of water when the water is being distributed from the main to.

the distributing conduit, while the other valve is adapted to close thesupply of water from the main and permit the water vithin the buildingand distributing conduit to flow backward and out of the overflowconduit so that the pipes in the residence or building will beautomatically emptied. I

With the foregoing and other objectsin view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimec, itbeing understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed canbemade within the scopeof what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a vertical central sectional view of thecasing interposed between the main and the distributing conduit with theparts in their position, the elect-ro-magnetically controlled meansbeing shown in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the deviceas shown conduit 6,

in Fig. l, a portion of the frame supporting the valve actuatingmechanism being shown in cross section. Figs. 3 and d are detail ,viewsof the various clamps used in coni nection with the dlstributing andoverflow conduits respectively. Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating amodified mechanism for actuating the valve.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the base of thepresent device which is adapted to be disposed between the 3 inlet ormain conduit 2, said base forming a l chamber and having upstandingtherefrom a vertical column or tube 3 which is in com- 1 munication withthe base and forms one of the communicating mediums for permitting thewater to flow upwardly therethrough beyond the lower valve seat 1- andwhen desired through the valve seat 5 disposed ,within the column Ledfrom the column 3 at one side is the distributing conduit 6, which isconnected to the various pipes for supplying water to a building orresidence, while leading from the column 3- above the conduit 6, is anoverflow conduit 7, which when the seat 5 is unoccupied will permit thedraining of the conduit 6 and the pipes within the residence orbuilding.

Mounted upon the upper end of the column 3 is a cap 8, and mounted forvertically sliding movement within the cap 8 and the full length of thecolumn 3 is a stem 9, whose lower end is mounted within the socketedport 11, and which carries the lower valve 10 for coaction with the seata, and the upper valve 12 for coaction with the valve seat 5. Thesevalves are so dis posed upon the stem that one will be closed when theother is opened, and when in the position, as shown in Fig. 1, permitsthe passage of the water as indicated by arrows from the conduit 2through the distributingconduit 6. g

'The upper end 13 of the valve stem 9 under normal conditions, that iswhen held in the position, as shown in Fig. 1, is engaged by theadjusting screw 14: carried by the lever 15, said lever 15 being pivotedto the clamp 16 which is mounted upon the overflow conduit 7 and has itsfree end 17 disposed to engage or be engaged by the hooked end 18 of thelocking catch 19, said catch 19 being mounted pivotally to the clampingmember 19 mounted upon the These respective clamps 16 and 19 are clearlyshown in Figs. 4 and 3 re spectively.

In order to provide an automatic means which will be controlled by thetemperature to release the catch 19 and thereby permit the valve stem 9to be elevated, due to the pressure of the water below the lower valve10 from the main 2, to place the valve 10 upon the seat 4; and elevatingvalve 12 above the seat 5, thus cutting off the supply of water from theconduit 2 to the column 3 and conduit 6, and permitting the water bygravity contained in the conduits led from the conduit 6 and not shown,to drain backward through the conduit 6 into the column 3, through thevalve seat 5 and through the overflow conduit 7, the base 20 is providedand has mounted thereupon, a suitable framework F. This framework hasjournaled therein a shaft 21, which carries the large toothed ratchetwheel 22 which has disposed in looking engagement therewith thevertically swinging armature pawl 2%, whose hooked end 25 is disposed toengage one tooth at a time of the toothed ratchet wheel 22 and thusretain the same in the deired position. This armature pawl 24: issupported upon the bracket 25 connected to the frame F, as clearly shownin Fig. 1. Also connected to the frame and held in attractive relationto the armature pawl 24: is an electromagnet 26, the operation of whichwill presently be set forth.

Mounted upon the shaft 21 to one side of the ratchet wheel 22 is a spool27. Con nected to the spool which in reality forms a reel for windingthe same, is a flexible connection or cord 28, which is passed over andthrough the pulley 29 and has its other terminal connected to the eye 30at the upper end of the trigger catch 19. This cord is wound upon thespool or drum 27 and normally assumes the position, as shown in Fig. 1,and in order to impart rotation to the spool 27 another flexibleconnection or cord 31 has one terminal connected to said spool and iswound thereupon, the other terminal being led away from the spool andover the pulley 32 and under the weight carrying pulley 33 and connectedto the eye 34, supported in the frame F. The weight carrying pul ley 33carries a weight 35, which is in reality a motor for rotating the wheel22 in the direction of the arrow Fig. 1 when the electromagnet 26 isenergized to attract the armature pawl 24 and thus release the ratchetwheel 22. Disposed upon the lower end of the weight 35 is a switchoperating projection 36, the purpose of which will presently appear.

In order to automatically energize the electromagnet 26, an electricalcircuit is provided and comprises the battery or other source ofelectrical energy 37, which has led away therefrom at one side, theconductor 38 which is connected to the electromagnet 26, the conductor39 which is led from the electromagnet 26 to the movable spring terminal10 of the switch mounted upon the base 20 and insulated therefrom, thesaid switch contact 410 being disposed so as to normally engage thestationary contact 41 also mounted upon the base and insulatedtherefrom, the conductor 4-2 led from the stationary contact 41, to thepointer arbor l3 of'the thermometer T, the movable contact 44 which isconnected adjustably to and insulated from the dial of the thermometer,and the conductor 415 led to the opposite side of the battery 37. Thusunder normal conditions the pointer of the thermometer will maintain thecircuit open, and as soon as the temperature falls to a low indication,for instance 34 Fahn, the pointer will enthe contact and thus close thecircuit so that the electromagnet 26 will be energized and the armaturepawl 21 attracted thereby to release the sprocket wheel 22 to the actionof the weight 35. The action of the weight 35 descending, will retatethe spool 27 and toothed wheel 22 in the direction of the arrow Fig. 1,and consequently wind the cord 28 upon the spool 27 and pull the upperfree end of the trigger or catch 19 from engagement with the lever 15,which frees the valve stem 9 to the action of the water pressure belowthe valve 10, so that the valve stem 9 is elevated, closing the lowervalve 10 upon the seat 4 and opening the valve 12 relatively to the seat5. By this meanathe water contained in the conduit 6 and the otherconduits fed thereby is automatically drained by flowing by gravity intothe column 3 and out of the overflow conduit 7. Thus the pipes withinthe house or building are protected against freezing and theconsequentbursting.

In order to provide a means to prevent injury to the battery 37 when theweight 35 has moved to its lowermost position, the switch actuating lug36 will engage the spring contact 10 which will be depressed downwardlyand out of engagement with the contact plate 41, the same being held insuch position until the spring controlled motor is again set for theautomatic release of the lever 15 and valve stem 9.

In the form of apparatus shown in Fig. 5, the weight controlled motor isdispensed with, and a simple electrical connection controlled by thethermometer T is employed. In this case the lever 15, which is similarto the lever 15 as shown in Fig. 1 and is held locked by the trigger 19similar to the trigger 19, as heretofore described, will hold the valvestem 9 downwardly or in the po sition as shown in Fig. 1. The trigger 19in this instance is in reality an armature for the electromagnet 26which is disposed to novaova attract the same when the contact at 44 andthe pointer 45 of the thermometer T are closed. The circuit thuscompleted will be as follows: the contact at points 44 and 455, theconductor 47, the contact 48 connected to and insulated from the lever15, the stationary contact 49, disposed to be engaged by the contact 48,the conductor 50, the electromagnet 26, the conductor 51, the batteries46, the conductor 52 and the pointer d5. Under these conditions whenthis circuit is energized, the movement of the armature catch 19" willrelease the lever 15, and the action of the pressure actuated stem 9,will cause the switch constituted by the contacts 48 and 49 to beopened, due to the vertical or upward movement of the contact 48 awayfrom the contact d9. Thus with the simultaneous release of the armature19 due to the energization of the electromagnet 26, the circuit will beopened so that the batteries will not be destroyed, but not until afterthe armature trigger 19 has been operated to release the lever 15.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings itis evident that with a device constructed according to the presentinvention, that the valve connection between the main 2 and thedistributing conduit 6 may be placed within or just without the buildinline of a house or residence, and that the operating mechanism will alsobe placed adjacent to the column 3, so thatthe falling temperature atsuch point which would endanger the freezing of the water in thedistributing conduit 6, will be actuated automatically and will therebycut'ofl the supply of water to the conduit 6 from the main 2 and at thesame time permit of the automatic draining of the pipes within the housethrough the overflow conduit 7.

W'hat is claimed is:

1. The combination with a casing having a pressure fluid inlet conduit,a distributing conduit, and an overflow conduit; a valve stem mountedfor sliding movement within the casing, a valve mounted upon said stembetween the inlet conduit and the distributing conduit for controllingthe flow of pressure fluid into the casing; a second valve upon the steminterposed between the distributing conduitand the overflow conduit, oneof said valves being closed when the other is opened; a lever operablydisposed above the upper end of the stem; and a pivoted trigger disposedin the path of the lever and normally engaging the same to hold theoverflow conduit valve closed and the admitting valve open; of athermostatically controlled means for releasing the trigger to permitthe closure by pressure of the valve between the inlet conduit and thedistributing conduit and the opening of the valve between thedistributing conduit and the overflow conduit.

2. The combination with a casing having a pressure fluid inlet conduit,a distributing conduit, and an overflow conduit, a valve stem mountedfor sliding movement within the casing, a valve mounted upon stembetween the inlet conduit and the distributing conduit for controllingthe flow of pressure fluid into the casing; a second valve upon the steminterposed between the dis tributing conduit and the overflow conduit,one of said valves being closed when the other is opened; a leveroperably disposed above the upper end of the stem; and a pivoted triggerdisposed in the path of the lever and normally engaging the same to holdthe overflow conduit valve closed and the admitting valve open; of athermostat cally controlled means for releasing the trigger to preventthe admitting valve to close and the overflow valve to open, including asource of electrical energy, a thermometer, an electromagnet, and acircuit including the source of electrical energy, the pointer of thethermometer and the electromagnet.

3. The combination with a casing having a pressure fluid inlet conduit,a distributing conduit, and an overflow conduit, a valve stem mountedfor sliding movement within the casing, a valve mounted upon said stembetween the inlet conduit and the distributing conduit for controllingthe flow of pressure fluid into the casing; a second valve upon the steminterposed between the dis tributing conduit and the overflow conduit,one of said valves being closed when the other is opened; a leveroperably disposed above the upper end of the stem; a pivoted triggerdisposed in the path of the lever and normally engaging the same to holdthe overflow conduit valve closed and the admitting valve open; of athermostatically controlled means for releasing the trigger to permitthe admitting valve to close and the overflow valve to open, athermometer, an electromagnet, a circuit including the source ofelectrical energy, the pointer of the thermometer and the electromagnet,and a switch in said circuit normally closed, and disposed so as to beopened upon the release of the lever.

4E. The combination with a casing, having a pressure fluid inletconduit, a distributing conduit, and an overflow conduit, a pressureactuated valve for closing the inlet conduit and opening the overflowconduit and means for normally holding the valve against the pressure soas to open the inlet conduit and close the overflow conduit; of athermostatically controlled means for releasing the last means,including a weight controlled motor, an electromagnet, an armature lookunder the influence of the electromagnet for holding the motor in normalcondition, a source of electrical energy, a thermometer having anindicating pointer, an adjustable point carried by the thermometer inthe ath of its indicating pointer, a circuit incluc ing the source ofelectrical energy, indicating pointer of the thermometer and the adjustable point, and the electromagnet.

5. The combination with a casing having a pressure fluid inlet conduit,a distributing conduit, and an overflow conduit, a valve stem mountedfor sliding movement within the casing, a valve mounted upon said stembetween the inlet conduit and the distributing conduit for controllingthe flow of pressure fluid into the casing; a second valve upon the steminterposed between the distributing conduit and the overflow conduit,

one of said valves being closed when the other is opened; and means fornormally holding the stem with the first mentioned valve open and thesecond mentioned valve closed; of a thermostatically controlled meansfor releasing the last means including a weight controlled motor, anelectromagnet, an armature look under the influence of the electromagnetfor holding the motor in normal condition, a source of electricalenergy, a thermometer having an indicator pointer, an adjustable pointcarried by the thermometer in the path of its indicating pointer, and acircuit including the source of electrical energy, indicating pointer ofthe thermometer, the adjustable point, and the electromagnet.

6. The combination with a casing having a pressure fluid inlet conduit,a distributing conduit, and an overflow conduit; a valve stem mountedfor sliding movement within lever and normally engaging the same to holdthe overflow conduit valve closed and the admitting valve open; of athermostatically controlled means for releasing the trigger to permitthe closure by the pressure fluid of the valve between the inlet conduitand the distributing conduit and the opening of the valve between thedistributing conduit and the overflow conduit, including a weightcontrolled motor, an electromagnet, an armature look under the influenceof the electromagnet for holding the motor in normal condition, a sourceof electrical energy, a thermometer having an indicator pointer, anadjustable point carried by the thermometer in the path of itsindicating pointer, and a circuit including the source of electricalenergy, indicating pointer of the thermometer, the adjustable pointer,and the electromagnet.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL O. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

J. S. RUSSELL, Bnssm WILLIAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

